Automobile body



M. R. HULL AUTOMOBILE BODY Oct. 15, 1929.

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Fil ed Nov. '7 1925 M. R. HULL 1,731,495

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Patented Oct. 15, I 19 29 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATTHEW R. HULL, OF GONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO REX MANUFACTUR- ING- COMIE'ANY, OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA AUTOMOBILE BODY Application filed November My said invention relates to an improvement in automobile bodies etc. and it is an object thereof to provide a device of such character which shall be sufliciently rigid for the purpose of a closed body and yet shall be very light in weight, while also being inexpensive in construction.

With the passing of time the tendency to use automobiles throughout the entire year becomes more and more marked and coincidently therewith there is a great increase in the use of automobiles having closed bodies. Where such bodies are not actually closed they are yet in many cases arranged for ready addition of such removable parts as will make the body the equivalent of a closed car during the winter season or at such other times as a closed body is desired. One of the principal arguments against the closed body heretofore has been the excessive additional weight which renders the car more liable to overturn and which increases the consumption of gaso line and other items to a needless extent. At the same time such weight makes increased strength necessary in the chassis parts, springs, etc., and causes undue racking of the various parts of the car on account of road shocks and strains. Another objection to the closed car arises from the very considerable increase in cost, due to the expense of building in proper manner the closed cars according to present plans. According to my invention the weight is greatly decreased without'loss in strength or appearance'and without loss in the weather resisting qualities by which the closed bodies make their principal appeal to a large section of the public.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved structural elements or devices for use in the manufacture of closed bodies of automobiles, such asshall be light and inexpensive while facilitating the work of building a body, all without detriment to the appearance of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar Jarts,

I Figure 1 isa side elevation with the outer 7, 1925. Serial No. 67,672.

wall or covering removed toshow the skeleton or supporting structure of the body,

Figure 2, a section on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Figure 3, a section on line 8-3 of Fig. 1,

Figure 4, a section on line l4 of Fig. 1,

Figure 5, a section on line 55 of Fig. 1,

Figure 6, a section on line 66 of Fig. 1,

. F igure'7 a detail of a jointbctween two parts of the supporting frame,

Figure 8, a side view of parts in Figure 7,

Figure 9, a detail of another joint between intersecting portions of the supporting frame, 7

Figure 10, a side view of the same,

Figure 11, a fragment illustrating the construction of the side wall carried by the supporting frame, and V Figure 12, a section on line 1212.of Figurell.

In the drawings reference character 20 indicates the top of an automobile body, the top being carried by a plurality of top supports 21. A section of one of said top supports is shown in Fig. 6. The top support is made up of a relatively thin strip of wood 22 covered with a strip of sheet-metal 23 having corrugations at 24 for strengthening the top support. At the top in Fig. 6 the edges of the sheet metal are spaced to form a tacking space for attaching the material of the top to the top supports by means of small tacks or the like. Preferably the sheet metal covering of the top supports consists of sheet steel which is corrugated in a direction lengthwise of the top support to add to the strength of the same. The filler is preferably made of wood though some other material which is flexible and suitable for holding nails or tacks may be substituted for wood. Examples of such material are rag-board, leather, light wood, etc., such as permit of very little shrinkage and swell.

The top supports are attached at their opposite ends to roof rails 25 in a manner illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, it being understood that the illustration in these figures is not necessarily confined to the connection between the roof rail and the top supports but may be used in other places. As there illustrated the roof rail consists of a strip 26 of flexible material such as wood with a metallie covering similar to that used on the top supports. The filler of the top supports is omitted adjacent the lower end and the sheet metal covering is flattened as clearly shown in Figure 8 so that the top supports and the roof rail will take up practically no more space at the oint than at other points on the top supports or the roof rail. Rivets 27 or other convenient devices are used for securing the parts together.

The roof rails at opposite sides of the top extend substantially from end to end of the car and may be connected in any desirable manner at the front. They are secured at or near their forward ends to windshield posts 28 and at the rear end to the top support 21 which is elongated as shown iii-Figure 1 and extends over half-way down the body. An arcuate brace 29 extends about the rear end of the car, being connected at opposite ends to brace 21 and being supported by upright strips 30 extending down to the bottom of the body, these strips being made up in the same manner as the roof rail out of a filler and a sheet metal casing surrounding the same.

The windshield post and the braces 30 are connected at the lower ends to a longitudinal member 31 of the body which extends to the forward endof the cowl and to which the forward members 32 and 33 of the cowl are connected. A brace 34 of any convenient character extends from the member 33 to a part (not shown) connecting the windshield posts. Adjacent the rear end of the car arcuate braces 35 are supported on the bottom members 31 and uprights 36 and 37 extend from the members 35 to the roof rails at the respective sides of the body, the member 37 being bent at its lower end to conform to the shape of member 35 or a separate part 37 being provided at this point. Another upright 39 extends from the roof rail to the part 31 at each side of the car, this member being located between the frame 40 of the front door and the frame 41 of the rear door of the car in the embodiment of the invention here illustrated.

Strips of wood covered with sheet metal are utilized for the parts 28, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 as shown in the various sectional views. Parts 31 and 35 are now made of solid wood, but 35 obviously might also be made of metalcovered wood if preferred. In the case of parts such as 39 and the tacking space is at the inner side to provide convenient means for attachment of the inner trim. The door frames 40 and 41 are provided with lips 43 against which the glass of the window rests, said lips extending inward from the edges of the door and being formed by doubling a part of the sheet metal encasing the strips of wood in the door frame. The doors at each side of the vehicle close against a bumper strip or rabbet 39' secured to the inner face of upright 39.

Strips 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 extend respectively along the cowl, the front door, the rear door, the space between uprights 37 and 30 and the space across the back between two uprights 30, these strips serving to brace the body at the points indicated. They also provide an ornamental feature in that they. separate the lower part of the car (corresponding to the permanent body in a vehicle having a demountable top) from a part which is offset inwardly from the outer face of the lower portion and which part so far as the doors are concerned terminates approximately at the level where braces 49 are attached to the doors, the ornamental feature being carried out about the remainderof the body in a manner well understood to those skilled in the art.

A swinging Window is provided at 50, this window being hinged at its inner edge and being pivoted for movement in and out upon said pivots, the lower frame member 51 of said window being approximately on a level with members 49. This construction has been found unusually satisfactory for ventilating the car. It forms no part of the present invention and is claimed in a separate application.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the structure formed at the intersection of two parts such as those indicated at 36 and 47. At such points the filler 22 is omitted from one of the intersecting members and the metal of the casing is flattened thus providing a space almost deep enough to hold the other member whereby when the inner and outer trim has been attached the joint creates very little difficulty by reason of extra thickness and in fact is both concealed from sight'and out of the way so far as trouble in building the body is concerned while at the same time a strong and effective connection is provided between the two intersecting members. Rivets 52 or other suitable fastening devices secure the parts in position relative to each other.

The skeleton iscovered externally, in the embodiment of the, invention here illustrated, with a wall of laminated material comprising a layer 53 of cardboard which is preferably made up of laminations of vulcanized fiber. A layer 54 of some suitable textile fabric, e. heavy duck, is sewed to the cardboard or fastened by means of an adhesive or both, and thin strips of metal 55 are interposed between the layers 53 and 54 for purposes of reenforcement. A layer of cotton batting 56 may then be applied to the outer side of the duck which may then be covered withan outer layer 57 of fabric such as artificial leather. The laminated material described may be used for covering the sides and rear'end of the vehicles body including the doors, panels, etc. in place of materials heretofore utilized, it being understood that I do not confine myself to the specific materials described nor to their arrangement as illustrated.

The windshield post 28 is shown in section in Figure 2 and this comprises a pair of strips of wood 59 and 60 covered on two sides and partly covered on a third side by the covering of sheet metal as above described. The windshield is indicated at 61.

In addition to the features of lightness in weight, economy in construction and efficient ventilation attention is directed particularly to the construction of the strip of wood or other filler encased in metal. This structural element is very strong and its use does away with the use of some of the expensive dies otherwise necessary for the construction of automobile bodies by conventional methods. The combination of the casing with the filler, especially when wood is used for the filler, is peculiarly advantageous for making bent parts in that the wood or other filler serves to prevent buckling of the metal while the metal holds the filler in the correct position and when wood is used for the filler the metal prevents breaking or splinter-ing of the wood during the bending operation. The filler may be thin and narrow in comparison with dimensions usually necessary and the sheet metal may also be thin, the combination still afiording the necessary strength and also providing means for attachment of other parts or of the trim.

In joining intersecting parts, instead of overlapping them and weakening the joint on the one hand or else leaving too much material and making the joint objectionably thick on the other hand, the method illustrated in Figures 7 to 10 enables me to construct a strong and rigid joint which yet is not unduly thick and clumsy. An important feature of my invention lies in the fact that it does away with the necessity for heavy steel sheets which are objectionable not only on account of their weight but also by reason of the high expense in connection with the heavy dies and the necessary hammering in their manufacture. It also provides a structure of remarkable flexibility and durability and one which obviates the rumble and vibrations of the usual heavy structure.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my deconstruction of the wings and body of airplanes. 7

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an automobile body, a supporting framework comprising intersecting members each consisting of a strip of wood encased in sheet metal with the wood of one member omitted at the intersection and the sheet metal casing of said member flattened, substantially as set forth.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting framework including intersecting members formed of strips of wood encased in sheet metal with the wood of one member omitted at the intersection and the sheet metal casing of said members flattened, said sheet metal casing being also provided with longitudinal corrugations at one side and being spaced apart at its opposite sides to provide a tacking space, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Connersville Indiana, this 15th day of October, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-five.

MATTHEW R. HULL. 

